Slicing machine



Dec. 15, 1931. w. J. CAMPBELL SLIDING- MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED i STATES,

PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL, OE INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN SLICI'N G MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SLICING MACHINE I Application filed December 19, 1929. Serial No. 415,196.

My invention relates to a slicing machine and is particularly applicable to aslicing machine of the type in which a rotary knife or a circular knife is employed, and a work supporting carriage and means for moving or guiding the carriage past the cutting edge of the knife, a gauge plate being provided to limit the movement of the material on the carriage toward the cutting plane and thus to gauge the thickness of the slice. One object of my invention is the provision of means for preventing lateral movement of the work on the carriage and for constraining the work to movement toward or away from the cutting plane. Another object is the rovision of means, in association with a tilta le work support mounted on the carriage, for constraining the work to movement toward or away fromthe cutting'plane when the tiltable support is in generally horizontal position.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein V Figure 1 is a plan View; v

Figure 2 isan elevation; V

Figure 3 isa section'on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is aidetail; and

Figure 5 is'a detail. 7

'Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to the figures, A generally indicates a slicing machine base with the supports A Mounted upon said base and preferably forming part of a general base or frame structure is a bearing member A in which is rotatably mountedtheknife shaft A carrying the pulley A and the knife A A indicates a driving belt which may extend to any suitable power source, for example a motor. The knife is rearwardly recessed as at A to receive the deflector member or guard A herein shown as integral with the bearing sleeve structure A The knife is forwardly recessed as at A to receive the arcuate edge of the guard plate A 9. It'will be seen from Figure 1 that the axis of the knife shaft A although enerally horizontal, is tilted from perpen icularly to the guard plate A, in order to advance the cutting edge of the knife to a position somewhat forwardly of the forward face ofithe guard plate A.

B generally indicates ed upon any suitable supporting structure B which structure may be actuated for example in response to rotation of the manual control knob B It willbe understood that rotation of the knob B moves the gauge plate B toward or away from the cutting plane. Preferably the guard plate A and the gauge plate B lie in generally parallel planes.

C generally indicates a carriage structure slidably mounted for example on the circular track C and held against rotation thereabout for example by the guide track C Pivoted as at C to the carriage C is the work supporting structure including the extended generally plane work supporting member C. At the edge of the member C opposite to the cutting edge of the knife when the carriage is in the position in which it is shown in Figure 2 is an abutment flange G. C is any suitable guide member, for example, a generally cylindrical pin upon whichis slidably mounted in the sleeve C which in turn is provided with a transverse connection C upon which is supported the'pusher plate C". It will be understood that the pusher plate may be moved toward and away from the cutting planeas the sleeve C slides along the guide C The member C at one limit of its rotation isin the horizontal position in which it is shown in Figure 2. The pivoted adjustment arms C slotted as at C, with the manual locking member C permits the member C to be set at any desired angle within its predetermined are of rotation defined by the length of the slot C and the position of the knob C. I

Mounted upon the carriage G are a plurality of wheels D which penetrate through slots D in the member C, when the member C is in horizontal position in which it is shown in Figures 2 and 3. These roller members D maybe pivoted as at D in the upa gauge plate mountstanding lugs or ears D upon the base or supporting members D which may be secured upon the carriage C in any suitable manner. I do not wish to be limited to any specific number or arrangement of these roller members but I find it practical to seatter them in staggered relation throughout the area of the member 0", as shown in Figure 1.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes might bemade in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and showing to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting me to my specific showing. V

The use andoperation of my invention are as follows:

In slicing materials, for example meat, bread a nd'the like, the work is positioned on the supporting member 0* and is manually urged toward the cutting plane. The pusher plate C may beemployed or, with larger articles, loaves or pieces of meat, the pusher plate C may be removed from the machine and the article to be sliced may be engaged directly by the hand of the operator. In either case, it is desirable to hold the work against transverse movement on the member C and to limit it to movement directly toward or away from the cutting plane. Further, during the slicing operation, as the carriage is moved toward or away from the cutting edge, it is desirable to prevent lateral displacement of the work. Finally it is desirable that there be no lateral displacement, or a minimum of lateral displacement of the work at the moment of the cutting engagement, in order that a clean square slice be cut, and in order to prevent increased friction between the work and the cutting arc of the knife. As a practical solution of this problem I provide the roller members D the axes of which are parallel with the path of movement of the carriage across the knife and are perpendicular to the desired path of movement of the work toward the gauge plate or cutting plane. Tl1US, when the member 0* is in horizontal position and the upper arcs of the rollers 1) project above its upper surface, they receive and grip the lower face of the work. They permit it freely to move tovv'ard' or away from the cutting plane, but resist lateral movement transverse to this path of movement toward the cutting plane. I have illustrated the rollers D as having a plurality of points or barbs about their periphery. It will be understood that I do not wishto limit myself to any specific formation of such rollers andany sharp roller which has any formation of surface formed to grip or penetrate or indent the work may have the same guiding effect. When the member C is tilted into inclined position, the work receiving member becomes virtually a V-trough, gravity causing the work to move to the left,,taking the parts in the relationship in which they are shown in Figure 2, with the abutments C limiting this leftward gravital movement. It is when the member C is in horizontal position and when this gravital effect is missing, thatthe'rollers' D become necessary and effective. 'When'the member C is in inclined position the apertures I) therethrough are of sufiicient width to permit the material being sliced to penetrate somewhat therein, and they accordingly tend to prevent lateral movement.

Applicant prefers to set the axes of rotation of the rollers D at a slight inclination to the cutting plane, in such fashion that the material which rides over them is crowded or urged laterally against the upstanding flange C In practice a slight inclination is SlllfiClGIlt, the angle scarcely showing in Figure 1. It will be understood that the guiding members D serve to prevent any free lateral movement of the work upon the surface of the carriage, although this inclination imparts to the work a slight lateral movement sufiicient to urge it against the member C In practice the work is placed upon the carriage in close proximity to the member C", and the lateral thrust may therefore be slight.

I claim:

1. In a slicing machine including a rotary knife and means for rotating it, a work carriage and means for guiding it across the face of the knife, a work supporting element mounted on said carriage, an upstanding work abutment along the side of the carriage remote from the cutting edge of the knife when the carriage is at the beginning of a cutting reciprocation, and positive means for urging the work somewhat laterally against said abutment in response to forward movement of the work across said carriage toward the cutting plane.

2. In a slicing machine including a rotary knife and means for rotating it, and a gauge plate, a work carriage and means for guiding it across the face and past the cutting edge of the knife, a work supporting element mounted on said carriage and a plurality of freely rotating pointed rollers associated with said work supporting element, said element being apertured to permit said rollers to project upwardly therethrough, the axes of rotation of said rollers being slightly inclined to the cutting plane and the path of movement of the carriage across the face of the knife.

3. In a slicing machine including a rotary knife andmeans for rotating it, and a gauge plate, a work carriage and means for guiding it across the face and past'the cutting edge of the knife, a work supporting element mounted on said carria e, means for supporting it in a generally orizontal position, a plurality of slots in the surface thereof, generally perpendicular to the path of movement of the carriage across the knife and a plurality of elements mounted on the carriage and extending upwardly through said slots, said elements being adapted to permit movement of the work toward and away from the cutting plane and being adapted to prevent lateral movement of the work on the carriage, the work supporting element being adjustably mounted on the carriage, the movement limiting elements being mounted on the carriage independently thereof.

4. In a slicing machine including a rotary knife and means for rotating it, anda gauge plate, a work carriage and means for guiding it across the face of the knife, an apertured work supporting element tiltably mountedon said carriage, for tilting movement independent of said guiding members, means for supporting it in generally horizontal position, and guiding members, rotatable in response to the movement of the work toward and away from the cutting plane, mounted on said carriage and projecting upwardly through said apertures,said guiding members being adapted to prevent lateral movement of the work. 5. In a slicing machine including a rotary knife and means for rotating it, and a gauge plate, a work carriage and means forguiding it across the face of the knife, an apertured work supporting element tiltably mounted on said carriage, for tilting'movement, means for supporting it in generally horizontal position, and guiding members, rotatable in response to the movement of the work toward and away from the cutting plane, mounted on said carriage and projecting upwardly through said apertures, said guiding members being adapted to prevent lateral movement ofthe work, the guiding members being mounted on the carriage inde pendently of the work supporting element.

7. In a slicing machine including a rotary knife and means for rotating it, a work carriage and means for guiding 1t across the face of the knife, a work supporting element mounted on said carriage, and guiding members, rotatable in response to the movement of the work toward and away from the cutting plane, mounted on said carriage and projecting upwardly above the plane of said supporting element, the axes of rotation of said guiding means being inclined in relation to the path of movement of the work carriage across the face of the knife, an upstanding work abutment along the side of the work carriage remote from the cutting edge of the knife when the work carriage is at the beginning of a cutting reciprocation, the inclination of the axes of the guiding members being sufficient to urge the work against said upstanding flange in response to forward giovement of the work over the guiding memers.

8. In a slicing machine including a rotary knife and means for rotating it, a work carriage and means for guiding it across the face of the knife, a work supporting element mounted on said carriage, an upstanding work abutment along the side of the carriage remote from the cuttingedge of the knife when the carriage is at the beginning of a cutting reciprocation, and positive means for urging the work somewhat laterally against said abutment in response to forward movement of the work across said carriage toward the cutting plane, including a plurality of rollers the axes of which are inclined somewhat in relation to said abutment.

Signed at Indianapolis county of Marion and State of Indiana, this 19th day of November, 1929.

WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL.

6. In a slicing machine including a rotary I knife and means for rotating it, a work carriage and means for guiding it across the face of the knife, a work supporting element tiltably mounted on said carriage, for tllting movement, means for supporting it in generally horizontal position, and guiding members, rotatable in response to the movement of the work toward and away from the cutting plane, mounted on said carriage and projecting upwardly above the plane of said supporting element, said guiding members being adapted to prevent lateral movement of the work, the guiding members being mounted upon the carriage independently of the work supporting element and means for limiting lateral movement of the work on the work supporting element when it is in tilted position. 

